Cohesión y solidaridad territorial como respuesta jurídica a la crisis del multilateralismo: el desafío de la Unión Europea ante la nueva gobernanza internacional

The article analyzes how cohesion and territorial solidarity have evolved from being merely programmatic principles to becoming core legal elements within the European integration process. It examines how these notions, fundamental to the balance and legitimacy of the European Union, have acquired strategic relevance in the face of the crisis of multilateralism, the erosion of global institutions, and the new challenges of international governance. Through a thorough historical and doctrinal analysis—from the Treaty of Rome, the Single European Act, and Maastricht, to the consolidation of territorial cohesion in Lisbon and the current legal and jurisprudential framework—the paper argues that cohesion is not merely a redistributive instrument but a constitutional principle that ensures institutional resilience and social stability. The research advocates for advancing its “juridification,” that is, its transformation into an enforceable right and a source of concrete obligations for both Member States and EU institutions. Moreover, it links cohesion with the EU’s foundational values and the defense of equality and solidarity across its territory, highlighting its importance in future governance and its role as a legal and political response to the current global and European crises.